Developer presents 300‑MW battery storage plan; county and residents press for safety data

Peregrine Energy representatives presented a proposed 300‑megawatt energy storage system (ESS) intended to discharge for four continuous hours and described an early timeline for engineering, construction and commercial operation.

The company said the site under review occupies about 42 acres, with roughly 17 acres proposed for battery containers and supporting equipment. Jake Hitchings, project manager for Peregrine, said design and engineering work was expected to be complete by the end of 2025, with construction beginning in late 2026 and commercial operation targeted for just before summer 2028.

The plan would connect to the nearby substation and operate as a grid asset to charge during low demand and discharge during peak demand. “When people are starting to come home from work, demand spikes,” Hitchings said. “We can redeploy that energy during those times of higher demand.”

Why it matters: commissioners and several residents said the proposal raises safety, environmental and long‑term liability questions for people and livestock downwind of the site. Officials also flagged local emergency response capacity and asked for site‑specific plans before any permit or tax abatement discussion.

Peregrine said its system uses modular, outdoor‑rated containers and lithium iron phosphate battery chemistry and that the company monitors each battery module with on‑site battery management systems and remote operations staff. Cushman & Wakefield consultant Benton Blaine said Peregrine’s design differs from older incidents because the containers are separated and outdoor, not stacked in buildings, and because the company plans to follow current UL testing and the latest NFPA guidance.

Public comments were strongly mixed. Several residents voiced opposition, citing news reports of battery fires elsewhere and raising evacuation, livestock and water contamination concerns. Lee Lester asked what an accident would do “to our livestock and other things.” Another resident, identifying himself as a nearby landowner, said he did not want the county to be “a guinea pig.” Nancy White, who said she works with national and state grid committees, urged caution and said some post‑fire studies show environmental impacts; she said more centralized incident data is needed.

Commissioners asked Peregrine to provide additional documentation, including a list of operational projects, engineering reports, and fire‑safety and water‑runoff studies. Peregrine agreed to share the requested studies and to meet with the county fire marshal to develop a site‑specific emergency and response plan.

No formal action was requested or taken by the court during the presentation. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that the presentation was informational and that Peregrine must provide additional technical and safety documentation before the court would consider approvals, incentives or a permit.

Peregrine cited potential economic benefits in its presentation: the company estimated a mid‑$600,000 county property‑tax yield in year one and roughly $8.8 million in property taxes over a 20‑year horizon using their assumptions. Peregrine also said construction could employ roughly 100 people on site during peak construction and that the company’s private‑equity backer and a long‑term independent power producer structure are intended to keep the asset in operation long term.

County staff and the court asked several follow‑up questions about emergency response training for local fire teams, stormwater retention and site grading, noise and lighting, underground cable protection, and decommissioning liabilities. The Peregrine team said they would provide the county a packet of technical studies, an operational list of U.S. projects and their emergency response procedures, and would coordinate a meeting between Peregrine engineers and the Harrison County fire marshal.

The discussion closed with commissioners thanking the presenters and members of the public. No vote or formal commitment was made.